The Cinema Corner – July 21st

Movie of the week – Night of the Living Dead

This week cinema lost one of its greatest talents with the passing of director George A Romero, one of the most important figures in the history of horror movies. The Lighthouse pays tribute to him with a Saturday late night screening of his 1968 masterpiece Night of the Living Dead. The film shaped horror for years to come, and with a black actor cast in the lead role, it laid the foundations for the social concerns Romero would explore over his career. Its influence can still be seen in film and TV today, and it’s spawned numerous sequels and remakes, but the original will always be the best.

Dunkirk

Dunkirk is director Christopher Nolan’s epic recreation of the 1940 evacuation of Allied troops from the French coastal town. Shot using the 70mm IMAX format, with a complete absence of digital effects, the movie recalls the great war movies of old, immersing us in the action from the opening scene. It’s a traumatic experience that doesn’t give the audience a moment to breathe, and like nothing else you’ll see this year. I recommend catching it in 70mm at the Irish Film Institute.

Aladdin

After a rough patch in the ’70s and ’80s, Disney animation had a comeback in the early ’90s. One of the best features of the period was Aladdin, which plays at the Lighthouse on Saturday and Sunday afternoons. Most memorable for featuring one of the most iconic voice performances in any Disney animation from the late Robin Williams as the Genie. In an unprecedented move, Williams was given free reign to improvise, with his lines recorded first and then animated around.